Covid hospitals in Chattogram face ICU, testing kit crisis amid rising infections

As Covid-19 cases begin to rise across Bangladesh, Chattogram's two main Covid-dedicated hospitals are facing a critical situation, with all their ventilators currently out of order and most of their coronavirus testing kits having expired.

The 250-bed Chattogram General Hospital, designated as the city's primary Covid treatment centre, currently has 18 ICU beds, but none are usable, as all ventilators have been out of order since early April. 

As a result, the hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has effectively been shut down, leaving it unable to treat critical patients.

The Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (BITID) in Faujdarhat is in a similar state. While it has five ICU beds, none of them are equipped with ventilators. Although BITID played a central role during the 2020 pandemic, it currently lacks essential equipment for ICU-level Covid care.

Health officials say the shortages have already been reported to higher authorities in Dhaka and they expect the situation to improve soon.

Dr Jahangir Alam, civil surgeon of Chattogram, said, "We have informed the higher authorities, and we hope some relief will arrive by Monday."

The Chattogram General Hospital is also suffering from a shortage of staff. 

According to the 2024 staffing structure, 177 doctors are needed at the hospital but currently, only 42 are working. All 22 doctors previously assigned to the hospital's Covid unit were transferred in February, and replacements have not yet been appointed.

Dr Akram Hossain, superintendent of Chattogram General Hospital, acknowledged the dire situation and said, "Daily meetings are taking place regarding Covid. We've reported the shortages in equipment and manpower and are hopeful that the necessary support will arrive soon."

Kit shortage, expired stock

Covid-19 testing has also been severely affected as most government-supplied testing kits in Chattogram have expired. BITID, the city's only specialised infectious disease hospital, also has no functioning Covid testing kits. 

Regarding this, Dr Jahangir Alam said, "We've informed Dhaka and expect to receive new kits by Saturday."

Dr Md Mamunur Rashid, head of the Clinical Tropical Medicine Department at BITID, also confirmed the situation at the hospital. "We have no test kits at the moment. A request has been made to Dhaka, and we are expecting a fresh supply soon," he added.

Dr Rashid added that BITID is preparing a 10-bed unit for Covid patients and reactivating equipment such as high-flow nasal cannulas and oxygen supply systems, based on lessons learned from the 2020 outbreak.

In response to the growing concerns, Chattogram City Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday with health officials and stakeholders. 

He reaffirmed that Chattogram General Hospital would remain the city's primary Covid-dedicated hospital and ordered Memon-2 Hospital to be prepared as a secondary Covid facility. 

Additionally, a separate Covid ward is being prepared at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

On Tuesday, three COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Chattogram, followed by one more on Wednesday, prompting the emergency response.